The state Medical Commission has opened investigations against Renton, Wash.-based SeattlePainCenter clinic medical director Frank D. Li, MD, five physicians and seven physician assistants employed at the facility.
The investigation focuses on 16 cases between 2010 and 2015 where acute drug intoxication either contributed or caused patients’ deaths, according to HeraldNet. The patients ranged from 28 to 62 years old, and all were treated with opioid pain medication, including oxycodone and morphine.
State officials said Dr. Li and the clinic failed to account for patients’ specific health issues, such as mental health problems or substance abuse, prior to prescribing opioid treatment.
Officials allege that Dr. Li “routinely disregarded” concern for patient safety and violated a number of state rules on prescribing and treating patients. State documents said Dr. Li also failed to investigate reports of patient deaths or hospitalizations resulting from treatment at the one of the PainCenter facilities.
State officials began investigating the case after the state’s Medicaid fraud unit noticed a series of patient deaths and began examining Medicaid billings issued by the organization, according to the report.
Complaints against 40 registered nurses, osteopaths and psychologists working at SeattlePainCenter have also been filed with the state, according to HeraldNet.
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